Indians fret over Pujara injury

Mohali: India's hopes for a perfect build-up to the third Test have been dented with Cheteshwar Pujara taking a painful knock on his left knee while batting in the nets at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.

With the rival camp in disarray, the hosts seemed to be enjoying a calm training session. However, the batsman who scored a brilliant double century to help clinch an innings victory, limped off after being struck by a net bowler.

Pujara has issues with his knees, having undergone surgeries on both of them last year to rectify congenital defects.

In the Hyderabad Test, he braved a hamstring injury suffered early in his innings to score 204 and amass 370 for the second wicket with opener Murali Vijay.

The 24-year-old sat with an ice-pack wrapped around his knee and looked grim. He did not take part in the fielding drills that followed, and instead called the team physio to the dressing room.

India will hope it is not serious as the Australia pacers will go into the Mohali Test as a hopeful lot because the pitch, though shorn of grass, will afford much more bounce than at Chennai and Hyderabad, the venues for the first two Tests.